A pinch valve is a valve operable with a flexible tubing or hose, which is capable of pinching the tube or hose using a tube-pinching mechanism such as a pinch bar. Pinch valves are typically full bore, linear action valves that can be used in an off/on manner. However, some pinch valves can be used in a variable position or a throttling service.
Pinch valves are used in many medical and pharmaceutical applications. They are also used in food dispensing applications. A main advantage of pinch valves is that they facilitate cleanliness, excellent drainage, and ease of cleaning. In addition to cleanliness, another advantage of pinch valves is their operational speed. Most pinch valves are simply on-off valves, i.e., they open and close a flexible tube using a pinch bar that moves between two positions. Moving a pinch bar through two, fixed locations can be done quickly, especially if the pinch bar is moved by an electrically-actuated solenoid.
A problem with prior art pinch valves, especially those used with bulk liquid dispensers, is that they typically direct a pinch bar outwardly, i.e., away from a cabinet holding a bulk liquid container. When a pinch bar is directed away or outwardly from a cabinet, a surface needs to be provided by the valve or the cabinet in order for the pinch bar to work. Eliminating the need for such a surface would be an improvement.